slim chillingsworth
Well-Known Member
this is copied from my blog post (hands-on/home-made: some brewery projects). none of these projects are particularly novel, but i figured i'd post them anyway. they're pretty much self-explanatory, but if you want a write-up let me know.
first, my fermentation chamber. this is a fridge that i got for $50 delivered through craigslist. for a long time i was content with a Ranco thermostat that regulated the high-end temperatures, turning the fridge on when temperature exceeded a given range. then came winter. once my uninsulated detached garage began to average around 35-40 degrees i added the low-end temperature controller, a Lux WIN100 programmable plug-in thermostat attached to a $15 walgreen's heating pad. this was significantly less expensive than upgrading to a $130 dual-stage Ranco thermostat.
next up, my carbonation station/conditioning fridge
another craigslist fridge, this one for free. the 20lb CO2 tank was also a steal for $75. i decided to wire this up so that i could carbonate my backup kegs without taking anything off the kegerator. the CO2 regulator has a quick disconnect to attach an exterior-use output for sealing kegs, transferring beer between kegs, and as a portable regulator for outdoor party kegs.
and last, a project whose design is lifted from andy77's brewing network write-up, a simple keg cleaning system.
like the original author, i already had the submersible pump (which i use for circulating ice water through my immersion chiller). i mostly cobbled the rest together from pieces of tubing/hosing and fittings that i had handy. this is one of those super-simple "why didn't i think of this already" solutions to the pain-in-the-ass of breaking down a keg to soak and clean. every surface that touches the beer is soaked in a continually running warm cleaning solution. set-it-and-forget-it appeal too.
first, my fermentation chamber. this is a fridge that i got for $50 delivered through craigslist. for a long time i was content with a Ranco thermostat that regulated the high-end temperatures, turning the fridge on when temperature exceeded a given range. then came winter. once my uninsulated detached garage began to average around 35-40 degrees i added the low-end temperature controller, a Lux WIN100 programmable plug-in thermostat attached to a $15 walgreen's heating pad. this was significantly less expensive than upgrading to a $130 dual-stage Ranco thermostat.
next up, my carbonation station/conditioning fridge
another craigslist fridge, this one for free. the 20lb CO2 tank was also a steal for $75. i decided to wire this up so that i could carbonate my backup kegs without taking anything off the kegerator. the CO2 regulator has a quick disconnect to attach an exterior-use output for sealing kegs, transferring beer between kegs, and as a portable regulator for outdoor party kegs.
and last, a project whose design is lifted from andy77's brewing network write-up, a simple keg cleaning system.
like the original author, i already had the submersible pump (which i use for circulating ice water through my immersion chiller). i mostly cobbled the rest together from pieces of tubing/hosing and fittings that i had handy. this is one of those super-simple "why didn't i think of this already" solutions to the pain-in-the-ass of breaking down a keg to soak and clean. every surface that touches the beer is soaked in a continually running warm cleaning solution. set-it-and-forget-it appeal too.
